What Exactly Is A Holding Cut?

[Haironyourchest]

Going for my CS38/39 assessment Monday, some unavoidable delays make this four months after the course and my memory has faded a bit in the interim. Can anyone describe to me a "holding cut" as it applies to arial tree work? From the assessment schedule I gather I will only need to explain this cut and not demonstrate it, and I could just parrot the schedule definition which is "Sink cut with retained hinge and hold at the rear used on larger diameter stems under tension" - but I'd actually like to know what I'm talking about. I'm sure our instructor explained it but I've forgotten. Do they mean a bore cut with a holding strap at the back? Cheers.

[silky fox]

Sounds about right.Like a dog tooth cut.gobbed and bored out so only holding wood is keeping the tree up.

[Al Cormack]

Sounds about right.Like a dog tooth cut.gobbed and bored out so only holding wood is keeping the tree up.

In aerial tree work?

Do they not mean just putting the vcuts on and then put the saw down and break off and hold branch with your hands and throw. As opposed to letting the branch free fall?

[Harry_L]

I think its the cut where you do two overlapping cuts then put the saw down and snap the branch/log off with your hands. Its called a snap or step cut

[Treerover]

As Harry and Al said, I would think it would be a vertical step cut (2 overlapping vertical cuts allowing the saw to be stowed and then the section snapped off and manoeuvred) or a side gob leaving a hinge and allowing the branch to be pulled sideways and then thrown once the saw has been stowed .
Both allowing for greater control of the cut piece basically .

[Haironyourchest]

Thanks for the replies fellers, I posted the topic twice by accident - we have resolved the question, it's essentially a dogtooth bore-cut, then 45 degree back cut to sever the holding strap.

[trotter251]

Pretty sure Treerover has got it spot on [emoji106]

[Treerover]

Thanks for the replies fellers, I posted the topic twice by accident - we have resolved the question, it's essentially a dogtooth bore-cut, then 45 degree back cut to sever the holding strap.

WHAT UP IN THE CANOPY ???? [emoji15]
Good luck with THAT.
If there’s that much lean when you’re up in the canopy that for some reason you’re doing what you’ve described, I’d personally say that is LOADED with risk and absolutely unnecessary !!!!

[Steve Bullman]

I've never heard of this either.  The sensible option would be go climb a little higher and take a smaller lump.  Can't see the send in attempting a dog tooth up a tree for the sake of it where it might not be that easy to view the cut from all angles to make sure its spot on

[Martin du Preez]

On 20/05/2018 at 09:43, trotter251 said:

Pretty sure Treerover has got it spot on

its not buddy its a gob and back cut then stow saw away and pull branch towards you or an outboard step cut and snap branch away. basically not a free fall cut. you aren't expected to be knocking tops out in your assessment 

 

(sorry didnt mean to quote you treerover, you're spot on)

Edited May 30, 2018 by Martin du Preez